Character Sketch No. 2.

Manawatu Herald, 5 December 1893, Page 2

Character Sketch No. 2.

I CHAIRMAN HOEOWHENUA COUNTY. »_ INTRODUCTORY. | Mr Kebbell's name recalls the indebted-" ness that young New Zea andevs owe to the hardy pioneers, as both his father and uncle were old identities, and most intimate v associated with the opening up of these rich West Coast lands. Mr John Kebbell is the o dest son of the head of the one time wel -known firm of Messrs J. and T Kebbell, flonrmillers, of Wellington. The Messrs Kebbe I came out to the colony in the ship " Mandarin " in the year 1841, and amongst her passengers were the late Mr Francis Robinson, Henry Shafto Harrison and A. de B. Brandon. They brought with them a sawmill plant and i the first steam engine that was ever imported, erecting it on the Mauawatu River at Haumiaroa, the property now occupied by tor Robert Gardner. After a short time a. flourmill was added to the p ant A very heavy earthquake in 1854 damaged the machinery, and Mr John Kebbell went to England and obtained new machinery for a large flourmil 1 which was erected in Wellington. On his return to the colony Mr John Kebbell brought out his wife and two sons, and placed the Manawatu property in charge of the subject of our sketch. With so little grain growing now being carried on near the banks- of the Manawatu it sounds a peculiar spot to select for the erection of a flour mill, but the Messrs Kebbell were able to keep their mills going from wheat grown in the district, the Natives being very numerous, and much more industrious than they now are. The river Manawatu often presented a busy scene from the numbers of laden canoes which came from the country drained by it. The firm shipped their flour in sailing crafts to Wellington. Mr John Kebbell may therefore be credited with a most useful knowledge of the early state of the colony, and he has since endeavoured, and successfully, to put that knowledge to profitable use both for himself and his neighbours. In the year 1863 Mr Kebbell left the North Island for Canterbury and there spent two years in observing how the large sheep farmers of the Plains carried on their business. In 1865 \lr Kebbell, returning to Wellington for a couple of years, rode up both Coasts to note the richness of the lands, but his interest in his first colonial home became too strong and he returned to it as owner, and went into the work of developing its rioh land into we-1-drainedand rich grassed catt c land, a work readers in this district will appreciate when we mention that the land is on the river bank and is Bin-rounded by the Motoa estate. Here milking and butter making became in full swing, and a large export first foreshaaowed. ; Of course Mr Kebbell became a Manawatu setler and learnt a lesson as to the difliculties - of inter-communication which our late settlers, owing to the facility now given for borrowing money for local public works, have no idea. The only way to approach the Haumiaroa property, in those days, was by a track along-the bank of- the river, making, with its many bends, a distance of eight miles, the part east of what was Burr's property at Wirokino Mr Kebbell had to maintain at his own expense. MILITARY. Whist Mr Kebbell was at FTaumiaroa the unfortunate trouble with the Maories took place," in 1868, which forced the Government to ca 1 out the militia and volunteers. Officers were appointed, and Mr Kebbell became captain of the company belonging

to the Foxton district. He displayed very much interest fn his military duties and " cuiti-i'-i. 1 . " hir^'i' iij.) in manuals and drill. For monihs j,e; ;^ienl <l:iiU took place in Foxton, and i«av_y eouiplkatca evolutions were attempted over ground upon which Whyte's Hotel, the ruoii: ! X ". Bank of New Zealand and other buildings are now erected. The officer's may have been correct, we have no right to speak ill of our superiors, but the men weiv undoubtedly all wrong. After drill, whf a the restraint of discipline was relaxc. , the question was argued over and ovf-i again and always over a " idt." As a just chronicler' we cannot record any sasiafostory decision having been arrived at. As at one time a colour-sergeant, and afterwards ati einmgri in the military forces of the colony, we naturally lcSn tr> t.heopinion that the 'holders of the Queen's C'onimission must have been right, but all we may say will not prevent others, the privates of course, who will maintain otherwise. Shortly after the militia was called out •many of its Foxton members for'rnetl a volunteer company and elected Mr Kebbell as captain, which position he retained until he left the Manawatu in July, 1872. Quietness liiivihg been secured all military instruction was abandoned. JUS HOME. Mr Kebbell went to Ohau in 1874, and has since resided there, on property partly leased and partly purchased at that time, but which has now been converted into L freehold: The 1 property is la very valuable one and is situated at the month of the Ohau river, and was only accessible in tile early days by the sea beach. Now a road takes you to the Ohau station on the Manawatu rai'way, thus making the distance only a couple of hours from the city. Buch are the changes of times. By persons brought out to the colony at the colonists expense, and carried about by w*il and steamer to points of interest at the public cost, and who have tools and tenta and provisions advanced them to start colonising with, term such colonists as Mr Kebbell land-gmbbers, social pests, though the owners have only Secured the coveted property by years of hard work and 1 cheerless discomfort and privations, the smallest experience of which wonld send these j '" radicals " howling to the paternal Government for comfort and condolences. A littlo nf the sturdy independence of the early settlers woulU tje Worth more to the half-hearted seekers after land of the present day, than all the help they whine for and get. PUBMC LIl'E. The Horowhenim County was in 1878 a portion of the old Mimawatn County, and Mr Kebbell's first, introduction Into the important duties of local government was hit- election in that year as representative of the Otaki Biding in thai, County Council. Whilst a member he first commenced the work of opening up inland communication with Otaki and Waikanae by pushing on the surveys and gc-tting the road line cleared , by advocating the expenditure of a grant of £3000 made by the Government for this purpose. He became one of the first members of the present Horowhemta County and has been a member ever since. The second year of the new County found him elected to the honourable position as its Chairman, an office he again filled in 1888 and has annually been chosen to, and of which he Is Chairman now. A gentleman who secures such a long continuance of the confidence of his fellow members must have some very good points in his character, hard to fully set forth, but indisputable. To say that Mr Kebbell's chairmanship has not called for adverse criticism from the ratepayers would be attempting to paint him an angel, a visitant unlikely to be so foolish as to connect himself with local administration. Still the fact stands out that Mr Kebbell must have far oftener been right than wrong when each year sees him elected as the chief officer of a very large and very valuable County. He is a hardworking and painstaking administrator of the Act, and under his Chairmanship the main (ouny road from the south to the north, opening up hundreds of thousands of aci - es of very rich land has been made. He has assisted the setters in roading other portions of the County, and a glance at the amounts borrowed from the Government prove that no idle time can hava been enjoyed by the one man in the Council chiefly answerable in getting the loans carried and the money from the grip of the Government of the day: In the year 1880 Mr Kebbell was appointed a Justice of the Peace, an office he still holds. For years Mr Kebbell has been a Warden of the Wirokino Road Board, in which district his property is comprised. Vir John Davies lias the honour of being the only < 'hairman, and it may fairly be said that the very great advance in the opening up of that large district by good roads is chiefly due to the united and energetic efforts of these two gentlemen. PRIVATE. Mr Kebbell is a family man and has three children. He married in 1878 Miss Mary Ray, of Sydney, whose sisters are Mre'F. Robinson, of Carnarvon, and Mrs Richter, of Palmerston N. SHEEP-BREEDER. The flock owned and bred by Mr Kebbell are nearly pure-breed Romney Marsh, his selections of ewes from the best early breeders having been judiciously made, and since improved by rams imported in 1882. The flock, some 4000, may be classified as 550 a stud flock, and the remainder nearly pure. His surplus stock is eagerly sought after.